Visitors to Darwin will now have to grapple with a crocodile and a giant kite before they are allowed to enter the city.
Key points:
- Gunimidjina Gwala Daraniki is one of dozens of murals recently painted on Darwin CBD walls
- The mural features totems and stories by one of Darwin's oldest families
- It will greet commuters and visitors at the city's eastern entrance
But it will be to visually grapple with a mural of important local totems, called Gunimidjina Gwala Daraniki, which translates to saltwater country.
The crocodile, kite, and magpie goose will be painted across the 30-metre gable of the ABC building on the corner of Bennett and Cavenagh streets in the CBD.
The art is the work of senior Larrakia artist Denise Quall, who will be assisted by her brother and cultural adviser Tibby Quall.
"It's a calming feeling, knowing they're around. You feel safe," Quall said of ngagan-dji nagandji – bah, translated as brahminy kite.
"It will represent a welcome: the brahminy kite, the dungalaba (crocodile), a magpie goose, and two big symbols — the separated men on one side and a women's area sitting down doing the women's business on the other side.
"The magpie goose signifies the change of season and new life.
"I was born here and the idea came from sharing culture and personal feelings with family and the community.
ABC Radio Darwin: Conor Byrne
)A spiritual connection
Mr Quall said the kite is a totem for their Danggalaba Kulumbirigin clan, which is an ancient Larrakia clan of Darwin named after the estuarine crocodile.
"The brahminy kite you see mainly cruising along the coastline," Mr Quall said.
"We sing and call to it, and it floats where we are.
"When I first took my children on a day out in Mandorah I used to make them stand up on top of the beach somewhere and hold a fish in the air and the kite would come down and take the fish out of their hands.
"They were surprised but they still do it today.
ABC Open: Capeape
)Modern culture
Mr Quall hopes the art will speak to residents and visitors to Darwin.
"It's important to have a story of our lifestyle and customs that people can respect and relate to," he said.
"It's to show the significance of Aboriginal people in city life.
Supplied: NT Library and Archives
)A far cry
The Quall family grew up in the former Parap Camp on Westralia Street, Stuart Park.
The siblings fondly remember fishing, swimming, and playing at nearby Dinah Beach, which is on mangrove-lined Sadgroves Creek but is now a residential and dock area earmarked for further development.
Crocodiles always inhabited Sadgroves Creek, but legal hunting in the early 20th century reduced the risk of attack.
Quall draws on her youth when painting.
"I painted trees and family, beaches, where we went, where we stayed," she said.
"As you're getting older, everything changes and you pass on all your thoughts and you become more mature and you start using different elements and materials."
ABC Radio Darwin: Conor Byrne
)Taming creativity
Quall said inspiration is all around.
Supplied: Annette Green - Australian Silo Art Trail
)"I feel it everywhere. I look at something no matter what colour or shape, the sky, everything," she said.
"There's so much to create. There's stories behind everything.
"You get this excitement to do art. You try to do a lot of things at once.
"Then they all pile up. Sometimes I get a bit carried away.
A proud day
ABC Darwin manager Steve McClelland said the organisation was proud to showcase art to welcome people to Larrakia country.
"It is important to ABC that we share stories and celebrate the culture of our First Nations people and share these with the wider community," he said.
Supplied: NG Photographics
)Artback NT executive officer Louise Partos said the vision was a strong sense of local identity.
"We wanted to highlight the diversity of Larrakia experiences by creating awareness and making prominent the unique culture and language of the local people," she said.
Work on Gunimidjina Gwala Daraniki in mural form started at the end of May 2021.
Gunimidjina Gwala Daraniki was part of a submission by Artback NT in the Activate Darwin Transforming Public Spaces Challenge in 2019.
The "Larrakia Welcome through public art" submission was one of 10 ideas selected by the public from 95 entrants.
Darwin city mural embraces local totems to share rich Indigenous culture - ABC News
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